“Required reading.” Every student’s worst nightmare. Even as an avid reader myself, those words still instill a distinct sense of dread that no others do. Why, you may ask? Because teachers, professors, and the like have a unique gift for picking the most mind-numbingly boring books to assign their classes. It also doesn’t help matters that having a deadline and assignments associated with a book tends to suck the fun out of reading it.
But maybe I’m exaggerating. If you’re starting school soon, all might not be lost. For all the terrible books I’ve had to force my way through for school, there were also some surprising gems. From elementary to middle and high school, up to college, here are some of the best books I’ve been forced to read — plus some I wish I’d been forced to read. Here’s to hoping some of them make it onto your required reading list this year.
Bridge to Terabithia
Starting off the list is a book I read of my own free will but that I would have loved to analyze in school. Bridge to Terabithia is a hard one to get through due to its heavier topics but it’s well worth the read. This book had a great impact on me as a young girl and still does to this day. It’s a moving portrait of grief, friendship and family. The imaginary world the characters create is both an escape and a reflection of reality. The darker themes make for great discussions with young children on how to deal with heavy emotions and find comfort and safety in those trusted people around them. And aside from sadness, there is still a lot of joy to take away from Jesse and Leslie’s bond and the worlds that it opens up to them.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
I promise we’ll get to books that my teachers actually assigned to me. But first, another novel that other classes got to sink their teeth into as I only watched in envy. That is The Invention of Hugo Cabret. The perfect steampunk-esque, children’s historical fiction, I read this one long after elementary school. In fact, I saw the movie adaptation — which I enjoyed equally — before reading the source material. I’ve always had a fascination with clocks and the inner workings of various machinery and this story played to those interests. Add to that a vivid 1930s setting, unexpected friendships, and a fun mystery and this book is the perfect package.
The Outsiders
Kicking off the books I read for school is The Outsiders. This is the first required reading book I remember falling in love with. My middle school class read it and later watched the movie as well. My friends and I were immediately entranced. It actually launched us into an obsession with all things 80s that lasted well past that school year. We had 80s movie nights, wore flannels and wrote on our Converse, made edits, even discussed which 80s star we might date. Maybe that’s all a bit much, but I think any assigned book that can inspire that much passion in a few middle schoolers is worth the praise.
Their Eyes Were Watching God
We’ve made it to high school and with it comes books even closer to what I still read as an adult. These are books that tackle the nitty-gritty themes that spark heated discussions in any classroom. Their Eyes Were Watching God was a favorite of mine and many others in my sophomore-year English class. Reading about Janie and her various relationships, the violence, discrimination, and heartbreak that she experiences struck me. Coupled with vivid imagery and nature-centered metaphor, Hurston really knows how to make the reader feel.
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies is one of my favorite books, required or not. If you wonder how deep my love for it goes, know that I wrote a 4000-word essay on Golding’s portrayal of human nature, lovingly called an “extended essay” for my class. My teacher called the essay some of my best work and though it might be nice to pat myself on the back a little here, I think most of it comes down to the book itself. My best work only really happens when two factors are at play: the source material is rich and nuanced, and I love the source material.
Both are true when it comes to Lord of the Flies. Golding’s unveiling of humanity’s capacity for both good and evil, in equal parts, is at the center of the story. The young characters act as symbols of civilization and savagery. The novel questions what separates humans from monsters — if anything at all.
The House on Mango Street
This Own Voices novel grapples with identity and agency through the lens of a young girl finding her place in life. I liked this book so much that I went back and read it in Spanish years after I read it for school. This made me realize that, though I read the book for English class, it would also make a great addition to a Spanish class’s curriculum. No matter what the class, Sandra Cisneros’s writing is truthful and moving. The vignette style of the novel also adds interest, allowing students to look at them individually and as they connect.
Hamlet
Hamlet made it onto my required reading list not once but twice. Once in high school and again in college for a Shakespeare class I chose as an elective on a whim. It’s no wonder Shakespeare’s work is so widely studied. Having studied it in class once before, I discovered a wealth of new layers to the story the second time around. The questions of mortality and purpose that Hamlet grapples with are intriguing and the character dynamics make for great analysis opportunities. Plus, Hamlet and other Shakespearean works have been adapted to film and stage innumerable times which lets students compare mediums and approaches under the guise of a movie day.
Choir Boy
The only other English class I took in college was actually a course centered around Black playwrights throughout the years. Though not novels, this class introduced me to some of the best plays I’ve ever read. One such play is Choir Boy. This play explores the intersection of race, sexuality, and identity. The characters struggle between tradition and change, trying to define themselves within their circumstances. I loved the way McCraney challenged ideas of masculinity and the portrayals of male relationships, both romantic and platonic. My class also had the pleasure of watching clips of the play on Broadway which I think should be just as mandatory as reading the play itself. Hearing the music come to life from the pages added an invaluable element to the reading experience.
I hope the books on this list helps you realize that required reading doesn’t have to be boring or tedious. It can be a great way to start conversations in the classroom and inspire a lifelong love for reading when done right. These are just a few great choices for students to explore but there are many more out there waiting to be passed out on the first day back.
